Amusement-house construction



Febr o. 2 H B. LUSE 1,526,160

000 @000 0000 160000 Dom 0000 0000 @090 000 0000 @000 6 00 0000 0000 @000 000 0000 0000. 0 0 9 @000 @000 @900 l 11 J M I .Ziavn 1 Patented Feb. 10, 1925.

STATES P ATENT OFFICE.

HARRY B. LUS E, OF LONG BEACH, CALIFGRNIA.

l eu, i o

Application filed May 31,

To all to ham it may concern.

Be it known that 1,.Hannr .LUsn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Long Beach, in the county of ,Los Angelesand State of Californiayhave invented new and useful Improvements in Amusement-House Constructions, of which the following is a specification, I

This invention relates to improvements in an amusement house construction and has for its principal object the pro-vision of a novel arrangement of the interior and entrances of a theatre, whereby patrons can see the feature motion-'pictureof the program from the first and without interruption regardlcssof the time of their arrival.

Another object istoprovide a theatrean rangement whereby two separate motion pictures can ,be simultaneously shown upon two separate screens with one group of spectators segregated or"partitioned off from a second group so that each group can view the proper picture to the exclusion of the other group.

A further object is to provide an elevated projecting room which extends across the width of the theatre into both sections thereof to facilitate changing films from one side to the other.

A still further object is to provide an arrangement of the character described that is simple and economical in construction.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate hke parts throughout the same,

The figure is a plan view of an interior arrangement of a motion picture house.

Great annoyance has been experienced in the viewing of motion pictures due to the fact that patrons often arrive and are seated after the showing of the picture has begun, and thus to them the plot of the picture is lost and the interest in the same is lessened, the status of the different characters is not clear and the enjoyment of the entertainment as a whole is detracted from.

Furthermore, by the seating of subsequent arrivals or the leaving of earlier patrons considerable disturbance occurs, which fact also tends to. lessen the enjoyment of the show. To overcome this annoyance and this inconvenience I have devised a simple ar- 1924. Serial No. 717,187.

rangement of the interior and entrances of the theatre whereby the patrons are so seated that they can view and enjoy the feature picture from the beginning to the end withoutdanger of interruption irrespective of the time of their arrival and can likewise view the comicpictures, etc, from the same seat and in the usual amount of time.

In the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my inventiointhe numeral 1 indicates, as a whole, a motion picture house provided with the usual stage 2 over which is suspended screens 3 and 4, while the numeral 5 designates a partition either in the form of a wall or curtain which divides the interior of the theatre into two sections A and B, respectively. For the purpose of clarity the section A will be re ,ferred to as the section wherein are seated, as at 5, the spectators viewing the comic picture, advertising, etc., projected from a' motion picture machine 6 in an elevated balcony 7, while the section B refers to that section wherein are seated the patrons viewing the feature picture, which, simultaneously with the showing of the comic picture, etc., is projected from a motion picture machine 8 likewise positioned in the balcony 7.

As disclosed in dotted lines in the figure, the numeral 9 designates the ticket sellers booth and likewise the numerals 10 and 11. indicate the entrance and exit, respectively, to section A. The entrance and exit to section B are indicated by the numerals 12 and 18, respectively. I propose to have the ticket taker control. the opening and closing of the entrance and direct patrons into the section where comedies, etc, are being shown. 7

From this unique arrangement, it will be evident that one group of spectators seated in section A can readily view the comic film etc, while the second group of patrons seated in section B can simultaneously view the feature picture, each group viewing its re spective picture without danger of interruption, for once the feature picture has been started no one will be admitted to the feature section until the picture is completed. Then the feature picture will be shown in section A and no one admitted to that side until it is completed. After either the comic picture or feature picture has been shown the same picture will be projected on the screen in the other section. It is obvious that by this arrangement all of the patrons can view both the comic picture, advertising, etc., and also the feature picture and in fact the whole performance without the necessity of leaving their seats.

I also propose to make the dividing partition 5, when in the form of a curtain, of fireproof material, such as asbestos, and when in the form of a solid wall, to contain emergency exits so that in case of a tire on one side of the theatre, the patrons on the side or section where the conflagration may start can seek refuge in the opposite section and there be protected. When it is desired to display a vaudeville act, the partition in such cases is provided in the form of a curtain and can be raised or otherwise removed and the vaudeville act shown on the entire stage where it can be viewed by all of the spectators.

From the foregoing description con sidered in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be evident that I have devised a unique, novel and practical arangement that will be simple to install and one which will readily accomplish the obj ects above set forth.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:-

1. In a theatre, a stage, spaced screens suspended above said stage, seats in the theatre, a partition extending rearwardly from said stage and on a medial line and dividing the interior of the theatre into two sections, and elevated projecting machines for projecting a distinct motion picture on each of said screens.

2. In a theatre, a stage, spaced screens suspended above said stage, seats in the theatre, an asbestos partition extending rearwardly from said stage and on a medial line so as to divide the interior of the theatre into two sections, a balcony, projecting machines in the balcony whereby a motion picture projected on each of the screens can be viewed by one group of spectators on one side of the partition to the exclusion of the spectators on the opposite side of the partition.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HARRY B. LUSE. 

